Moving-picture apparatus.



T. A. EDISON. MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION "FED-JUNE 5. I910.

Patented Apr. 4,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

z%zmjm" dj buuc T. .A. EDISON.

MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mugs. mo.

Patnted Apr. 4,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5 the desired effect.

UNITED STATES THOMAS A. nmsonfl'ornnnwmmm PARK, WEST ORANGE, NEW JERS Y,assrenon To NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, or was! cannon, NEWJERSEY,';A1CORPORATION OF JERSEY.

Application filed June js, 1910. 7 Serial No. 565,158.

To alt whom it may concern:

. Be itknown that I, THOMAS A. EDISON,

a citizen of the United States, and a resi-.

dent of Llewellyn Park, West Orange, New

5 Jerse. have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMovmgfPlcture Ap-- paratus, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to moving picture apparatus, and the object thereofis to provide means whereby various devices may be I example,the-portrayal of scenes by the moving picture. machine may be renderedmore life-like by the production of various sounds.

at appropriate times during the production of the picture: If, forinstance, a character portrayed, in the pictures fires a revolver, 5 thereport of the revolver should be heard by the audience immediately afterthe press .ing of the trigger by the character portrayed in the picture.To complete the illusion, it also often happens that the sound of afalling body and various other sounds should be heard at properly timedintervals during theproduction of the picture. It

has been extremely difficult for an operatorto produce such effects atexactly the right times to coincide with the production of theaccompanying scenes.

y my invention, the-film itself is inspected and provided with aperturesor other controlling means. at the proper points,

.0 which controlling means upon'the film cooperates with contact-makingdevices or trip devices at the proper points in the progression of thefilm through the machineto actuate the devices required topr'oduce Amongother uses to which inventionmay be put may be noted the control ofdevices for coloring the light projected through the moving film so thatthe picture may be shown in any desired color or colors,

and the color-controlling shutter or other device actuated intooperativefposition and again out, of operative position at.any desiredpoints in the projection of the picture. It will be obvious that manyother ef- Specification of Letters Patent.

movme-rrcTUnE- arranATUs.

' fects than those mentioned may be produced" l -ATENT O FICE-Y PatentedA r.4,1916.

by myinvention and controlled by the pas- 1 sage of the film through themachine.

Inorder that a clear understanding of my invention may be had, attentionis hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of thisapplication, in which" Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic vertlcalsectional view througha projecting machine equipped with one form of myinvention. Flg. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing means for firing apistol, releasing a falling body, and operating a color screen orshutter, a portion of-the moving film and contact; devlce being shown inperspec tive. .Fig. 31s a partial perspective view of the moving filmand a modified form of contact-making device contacting the edge of saidfilm; and Flg. 4 is a similar view showving another modification inwhich a conducting strip is secured upon the film itself atanydeSiredpoint to close the circuit for actuating thevarious devices.

Referring to theldrawings, the film 1 is fed in the usual manner throughthe moving "picture projecting machine illustrated diagrammatically at 2in Fig. 1. The film 1 may be fed in any suitable manner, as by means ofthe usual ratchetsv cooperating with feeding perforation 3 of the film.I have chosen for purposes of illustration as devices to be operated,thepistol 4, weight 5 and a device 6 for coloring the light projectedthrough the film. These or other devlces as desired may be operated 0rcontrolled by means of. electro-magnets 7, 8, 9

and 10. I hate represented these magnets as being all connected inparallel across the circuit 11, although it is obvious that they.

might be connected in series. Circuit 11 includes a source-of energy asthe battery 12." The preferred form of my circuit control ling .deviceis shown in Fig. 2. As here shown, thefilm 1 passes acrossa portion 13'i of the frame of the projecting -machine,

which is connected to one end 14 of the wire composed circuit 11.Theother end 15 of the circuit is connected to brush holder '16 which ismounted upon insulation 17. Brush holder 16 carries a brush 18 which.bears upon the film, prefer'ably upon the upper side surface thereof onthe outer 'side'of feeding perforations 3, above plate 13 oftheprojecting machine. Brush 18 bears firmly upon the film as the latterpasses beneath the 'same, being formed of spring metal or otherwisegiven a slight series as '7, 8

Spring pressure upon the film and may con-. sist of several smallwires.Film 1 is pro:

vided with one or more small holes 19 which are in; line with "the-endof brush 18 as the film'is fed through the machine. Whenone of theseholes passes under the end of brush '18 the latter instantaneously makescontact through the same with. plate 13 completing circuit 11 andinstantaneously operating all the magnets connected in the 9-and 10. Theholes 19 may be very small and brush 18 which is preferably composed ofa number of fine Wires, so formed as to pass through the same. Thecircuit is closed only momentarily upon the passage of the hole 19 underbrush 18, the film 1 inits forward movement lifting brush '18 out ofhole 19 and againbreaking the circuit. v f I V v Devices such as thepistol land weights 5 and their actuating magnets may well be locatedbehind the screen upon which themoving picture is to be projected. Holes7 19 may be punched in the film at such points in the length of the filmas tocause the en- .ergization of the magnets at the exact moments whena particular picture is crossing the aperture 20-of the projectingmachine,-

which pictureritis desirable should be accompanied by the-actuationof'one of the devices controlled by the magnets. I have plate 13 througha hole 19, all of th representedthe various magnets as being providedwith armatures 21, 22, 23 and 24 carried by pivotedlevers 25,26, 27 and28, the free ends of, which levers are provided withdetents' 29, '30, 31and 32. When cir-'.-

cuit' 11 is closed by brush18 contacting e nets will'be actuated andwillattract their iarmatures, rocking levers "25, 26,127and 28 abouttheir pivots. Accordingly, when the attendant'knows that the moment forfiringa pi stol, for instance, has nearly arrived,

thepistol 4 is secured in position with its hammer 33 held incockedposition by ide on the passage m beneath brush tionfofa. armature21 by magnet 7 releasing hammer 33 and firing .pistol 4 to cause-the I.report-of the same vwhich shouldaccompany. 5'5 tlhe portra yal of a the;smoke in jj the picture. hearmatures of all the otherjmagnetsjfareactuated at the'same time. without result. If: e a e should soon'beproduced in" the exhibition oi the picture,.-as,i=for example, thedropping dant knows that some other 'eflect' of-iafgweight, the weight'5"1'n'a,y"be secu'redin' positionfinwhich it is; prevented irom fall fngi by, ior'fexample, the detent' of; lever :26. of magnet -.8, -so-that upon the next actuatijon o'f the series of magnetsfthe weightfi isglowed to tall. ;The device 6 for coloring;

" through t the light projected through the film may take the form ofone or moreshutters as 34, 35 and 36 which may carry differently.colored glass, 37, 38 and 39. These shutters may be loosely hung upon astud so posi-' *tioned that the I colored glass carried thereby'willpass in line with the light aperture20 of the projectin machine uponoscillation of the shutter.

vice 6 may be located in any convenient pohe coloring de'-' sition inline with the light aperture of the I picture and magnet 10 is intendedto remove the shutter from-operative position at another desired pointin the movement of the film. I have illustrated means by which theshutter is held in inoperative position by detent 31 of magnet 9 andallowed to fall by gravity into the proper position to coldr the lightupon the actuation of. magnet 9, the

shutter then being held in operative position by detent 32 of magnet 10,which detent 1s withdrawn to release the same upon the next,

actuation of magnet 10, the shutter falling again into inoperativeposition by gravity. It is, however, obvious that the shutters might, ifdesired, be positively actuated into and out of operative position bymagnets 9 and 10. In theembodiment of my invention illustrated, e chshutter as 34 is pr0- vided with a pro ection 41 upon the hub' thereofand a projection 42 upon the outer ,endofthe shutter... When, during theprojectioh: ofa, picture, the attendant knows gthatthe "timelforcoloringthe light has '-nearly arrived, he mounts a shutter as '34 upon stud 40and secures the same in inoperative position with detent 31 of lever 27-contacting lug 41 upon the hub of shutter 34 to hold the shutter in theposition illustrated, the shutter being under a. constant tendency tofall by gravity to the left. Upon thepassage of the next hole 19 in fi1m1 beneath bruslr-18, magnet 9 is actuated and detent 3 withdrawn fromcontact with lug 541 to all w shutter 34'to. fall to the left across"light aperture 20. Magnet 10 is actuated at the" same time attractingits armature 24 a and againreleasing the same so that, detent m 32 againoccupies its outerposition inwhich it.;lies in-the pathoflug 42 uponshutter 34. f

: Shutter 34' is'arrested 1n operative position and-held there b throughli'g t aperture 20 also passing j y the engagement of detent 32 with1ug42, theprojectjng light passing,"

' 12 he colored "glass-37 of the shuttenf The next. controllingperforation j 19 in the film should be for the release of shutter 341 8'"from operative position, and accordingly ma et' 19 beingactua'teddetenti32 is withtion, andanother as 34 being in positionto 1 fall intooperative position'upon the actuation of magnet 9 Accordingly, upon thenext actuation of the magnets the two shutters are simultaneouslyreleased and fall by gravity, shutter falling into inoperative position,shutter 34 beingcaught as "it' reaches the operativeposition by detent'32 of lever 28, which detent is returned intothe path of lu'g 42; uponshutter 34 before the latter has reached thedetent; I have illustrated amodification of my 7 circuit controlling'device in Fig. 3, in which thefilm l'instead of provided with punched holes 19 is notched at its edgeas,

shown at 19'. The brush'18'- is mounted to press against the edge offilml, thefilm preventing contact between the brush and plate 13. When,however, notch 19' in film 1; comes opposite brush 18f, the lattermakescontact with plate 13 in recess 43 thereof, thereby completingcircuit 11 and actuating the various electro-magnets. i

I have illustrated another modification in Fig. 4 in which the two endsof the conductor forming circuit 11 are connected to plate 13 'onopposite sides of'insulation 44, whereby 'the circuit is normally held,open. In

place of using a brush and making contact thereby through the film, inthis embodiment of my invention I securea thin strip or coat ing ofconductive material upon the under sideotthe film at any desired pointorpoints. This strip 45 is wider than in sulation 44 and accordingly as"strip 45 passes across insulation 44 in'the passage ofthe 'film throughthe machine, it bridges across insulation 44 completing circuit 11 andactuating the electro-magnts. 1 Having now describedmy invention, what'I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is as follows:

1.'In movingpicture projecting-apparatus, in combination, a projectingmachine, a

moving-picture film, means for feeding the samethrough said machine, adevice for coloring the light projected through said film, and means forautomatically controlling the operation of said device including aportion of-said film, substantially. as described.

2. In moving picture projecting apparatus, in combination, aprojectingmachine, a moving-picture film, means for feeding the same through saidmachine, a device for coloring the light projected through said film,

mechanism as described. I

or controlling themovement of" said device into operative position, and.means controlledby said film for actuating said mechanism at adesiredvpoint in the I progression of said film, substantially. asdescribed. Y a v 3. In moving picture projecting'a paratus,.incombination, a projecting mac me, a

moving-picture film, means for feedingthe' same throu h said machine, adevice for coloring the light projected through said film, operable intoand out of operative position,

and means controlled by said film for releassubstantially as described.

4. The combination 'with a projecting machine, a source of light and amoving pier ture-film, of a device for coloring the light projectedthrough the film, and means for automatically rendering the [said deviceeffective, dependent upon the portion of the in}; said device fromoperative-position at a desired pointin the progression of said film,

film which is being projected, substantially 5. The combination machine.a source of light and a moving picture film,.of devices for coloring thelight projected through the film, and means for renderingany of the saiddevices efi'e'ctive,

with a projecting I dependent upon the portion of the film which isbeing projected, substantially as described. e

6. The combination with a. projecting .machineya source of light and amoving picture film, of a plurality of movable mounted light. coloringdevices capable of being moved intothe path of the projecting light, andelectrically controlledqmeans' for operating the said devices, dependentupon the position of the film in its passage through the machine,substantially as described. p

7. In moving picture projecting apparatus, in combination, a projectingmachine, a moving picture film, means for 'feeding the same through saidmachine, a device for coloring the light projected through said film,mechanism for controlling the move merit of said device into operativeposition, mechanism for arresting the device in operative position andfor controlling the movement of the same into inoperative position, andmeans controlledby said film for actuating both said mechanisms atdesired points in the progression of said film, substantially asdescribed.

- 8. In moving picture pro ecting-apparatus,

a moving picture film having a plcture area covering nearly its entirewidth and an opening therein outside but adjacent to the picture areathereof, an electric circuit-containingfasource' of current and anactuating device, a projecting machine through which the travels havingan insulating portion and a conducting portion, said conducting portionbeing connected 'to one "end of the the film in the projecting machine,and a' electric circuit nd being in contact with 4 brush mounted on saidinsulating portion and connected to the other end of the. electriccircuit, said brush normally bearing on the film, being normally heldfrom contact with said conducting portion by the film and'being' adaptedto contact with the said conducting portion through the', opening of thefilm in'a predetermined position of the latter, to close the circuit,substantially as described.

9. In apparatus of the character described, a moving picture film havinga pic ture area covering nearly its, entire width an a cut-away portionoutside but adjacent to the picture area thereof, a movingpicturemachine through which the film travels, an actuating mechanism, andcontrolling means 2p for said actuating mechanism comprising a membermounted on the moving picture machine and a device with which saidmember is adapted to cooperate, said member being biased to a positionengaging said de-.

was for ren ering said actuating device operative, being normally heldin inoperative position by the film in its' passage through the movingpicture machine, and being adapted to assume operative positionthrough'the cut-away portion of the film in a predetermined position ofthe latter, substantially as described. 7 V

1 O.- In apparatus of the character described, a moving picture filmhaving a picture area covering nearly its entire Width and a cut-awayportion outside but adjacent to the picture "area thereof, an electriccircuit containing a source of current and an actuating device, a movingpicture machine through which the film travels having aninsulatingportion and a conducting portion, said conducting portionbeing connected to one end of the electric circuit and: being in contactwith the film in the projecting machine, and a brush connected with: theother end of the electric circuit, said brus biased to a position tocontact said conducting portion to,close the circuit, beingnormallyheldsfa'om such position by' the film in its passage through themoving picture machine, and adapted to assume such position through thecut-away portion of the film in a predetermined position of the lat-Lter, substantially as describedi This specification signed andwitnessed this 31st day of May, 1910.' g 1 THOS. A. EDISQN. Witnesses: ax

DYER SMITH, JOHN M. CANFIELD.

